This page lists the call number ranges for American (PS) and General (PN) Literature along with their related subject areas.
PS1-3626 American literature
PS1-125 General history and criticism
PS126-138 Biography, memoirs, letters, etc.
PS147-152 Women authors
PS163-173 Treatment of special subjects, classes
PS185-231 By period
PS185-195 17th-18th centuries
PS201-217 19th century
PS221-228 20th century
PS229-231 21st century
PS241-286 Special regions, states, etc.
PS241-255 North
PS261-267 South
PS271-285 West and Central
PS301-326 Poetry
PS330-353 Drama
PS360-380 Prose
PS370-380 Prose fiction
PS400-408.2 Oratory
PS409 Diaries
PS410-419 Letters
PS420-429 Essays
PS430-439 Wit and humor. Satire
PS(451)-478 Folk literature
PS490 Juvenile literature (General)
PS501-689 Collections of American literature
PS530-536.3 By period
PS537-574 By region
PS538-549 North
PS551-559 South
PS561-572 West and Central
PS580-619 Poetry
PS593 By form
PS601-617 By period
PS623-(635) Drama
PS642-659.5 Prose (General)
PS651-659.2 By period
PS660-668.2 Oratory
PS666-668.2 By period
PS669 Diaries
PS670-678.2 Letters
PS680-689 Essays
PS700-3576 Individual authors (by period)
PS700-893 Colonial period (17th and 18th centuries)
PS991-(3390) 19th century
PS3500-3549 1900-1960
PS3550-3576 1961-2000
PS3600-3626 2001-
Subject headings for American literature can be found in the 30th edition (2007) of the Library of Congress Subject Headings, the five-volume set of large red books located on the green cabinet beneath Shakespeare's portrait on the library's seventh floor. Use the heading American Literature (volume I pages 240-242). These headings are so broad, however, that a shelf-browsing, call number approach is more useful (see left pane). This approach is based on the highly detailed 2008 edition of the Library of Congress Classification for PR, PS, and PZ, located adjacent to the Library of Congress Subject Headings on the green cabinet. The classification for the entire class P of language and literature can be found here:
http://www.loc.gov/aba/cataloging/classification/lcco/lcco_p.pdf
Books that are entirely, cover-to-cover, by or about an American author may be located by performing either an author or subject search in the library's JaxCat catalog, using as search terms the author's name (in last-name first order).
Like regional and ethnic literatures, which may "resonate" with another part of Houston Cole Library's collection (in these instances with the history collection housed on the library's third floor), American literature also resonates with other portions of the library's collection, specifically with the General Literature collection housed on the library's sixth floor (see right pane). Only here the overlap is not with region or ethnic group ( class PN books often incorporate a multi-national approach) but with period, genre, theme, motif and other categories which cut across geographic boundaries.
PN1-6790 Literature (General)
PN1-9 Periodicals
PN20-30 Societies
PN45-57 Theory. Philosophy. Esthetics
PN59-72 Study and teaching
PN80-99 Criticism
PN101-245 Authorship
PN172-239 Technique. Literary composition, etc.
PN241-241.5 Translating as a literary pursuit
PN441-1009.5 Literary history
PN451-497 Biography
PN500-519 Collections
PN597-605 Special relations, movements, and currents of literature
PN610-779 By period
PN611-649 Ancient
PN661-694 Medieval (to 1500)
PN683-687 Legends
PN688-691 Poetry
PN692-693 Prose. Prose fiction
PN695-779 Modern
PN715-749PN801-820 Romance literature
PN821-840 Germanic literature
PN841 Black literature (General)
PN842 Jewish literature in various languages
PN851-(884) Comparative literature
PN(905)-1008 Folk literature
PN980-995 Fables
PN1008.2-1009.5 Juvenile literature
PN1010-1525 Poetry
PN1031-1049 Theory, philosophy, relations, etc.
PN1065-1085 Relations to, and treatment of, special subjects
PN1110-1279 History and criticism
PN1301-1333 Epic poetry
PN1341-1347 Folk poetry
PN1351-1389 Lyric poetry
PN1530 The monologue
PN1551 The dialogue
PN1560-1590 The performing arts. Show businessPN1585-1589 Centers for the performing arts
PN1600-3307 Drama
PN1635-1650 Relation to, and treatment of, special subjects
PN1660-1693 Technique of dramatic composition
PN1720-1861 History
PN1865-1988 Special types
PN1990-1992.92 Broadcasting
PN1991-1991.9 Radio broadcasts
PN1992-1992.92 Television broadcasts
PN1992.93-19 92.95PN1993-1999 Motion pictures
PN1997-1997.85 Plays, scenarios, etc.
PN2000-3307 Dramatic representation. The theater
PN2061-2071 Art of acting
PN2085-2091 The stage and accessories
PN2131-2193 By period
PN2131-2145 Ancient
PN2152-2160 Medieval
PN2171-2179 Renaissance
PN2181-2193 Modern
PN2219.3-3030 Special regions or countries
PN3035 The Jewish theater
PN3151-3171 Amateur theater
PN3175-3191 College and school theatricals
PN3203-3299 Tableaux, pageants, "Happenings," etc.
PN3311-3503 Prose. Prose fiction
PN3329-3352 Philosophy, theory, etc.
PN3355-3383 Technique. Authorship
PN3427-3448 Special kinds of fiction. Fiction genres
PN3451-3503 History
PN4001-4355 Oratory. Elocution, etc.
PN4071-4095 Study and teaching
PN4177-4191 Debating
PN4199-4321 Recitations (in English)
PN4331-4355 Recitations in foreign languages
PN4390 Diaries
PN4400 Letters (Literary history)
PN4500 Essays (Literary history)
PN4699-5650 Journalism. The periodical press, etc.
PN4735-4748 Relation to the state. Government and the press. Liberty of the
pressPN1993-1999 Motion pictures
PN1997-1997.85 Plays, scenarios, etc.
PN2000-3307 Dramatic representation. The theater
PN2061-2071 Art of acting
PN2085-2091 The stage and accessories
PN2131-2193 By period
PN2131-2145 Ancient
PN2152-2160 Medieval
PN2171-2179 Renaissance
PN2181-2193 Modern
PN2219.3-3030 Special regions or countries
PN3035 The Jewish theater
PN3151-3171 Amateur theater
PN3175-3191 College and school theatricals
PN3203-3299 Tableaux, pageants, "Happenings," etc.
PN3311-3503 Prose. Prose fiction
PN3329-3352 Philosophy, theory, etc.
PN3355-3383 Technique. Authorship
PN3427-3448 Special kinds of fiction. Fiction genres
PN3451-3503 History
PN4001-4355 Oratory. Elocution, etc.
PN4071-4095 Study and teaching
PN4177-4191 Debating
PN4199-4321 Recitations (in English)
PN4331-4355 Recitations in foreign languages
PN4390 Diaries
PN4400 Letters (Literary history)
PN4500 Essays (Literary history)
PN4699-5650 Journalism. The periodical press, etc.
PN4735-4748 Relation to the state. Government and the press. Liberty of the
press
PN4775-4784 Technique. Practical journalism
PN4825-4830 Amateur journalism
PN4832-4836 Magazines and other periodicals
PN4840-5648 By region or country
PN5650 The Jewish press
PN6010-6790 Collections of general literature
PN6066-6069 Special classes of authors
PN6080-6095 Quotations
PN6081-6084 English
PN6086-6089 French
PN6090-6110 German
PN6099-6110 Poetry
PN6110.5-6120 Drama
PN6120.15-6120.95 Fiction
PN6121-6129 Orations
PN6130-6140 Letters
PN6141-6145 Essays
PN6146.5-6231 Wit and humor
PN6157-6222 By region or country
PN6233-6238 Anacreontic literaturePN6244-6246 Literary extracts. Commonplace books
PN6249-6258 Ana
PN6259-6268 Anecdotes. Table talk
PN6269-6278 Aphorisms. Apothegms
PN6279-6288 Epigrams
PN6288.5-6298 Epitaphs
PN6299-6308 Maxims
PN6309-6318 Mottoes
PN6319-6328 Sayings, bon mots, etc.
PN6329-6338 Thoughts
PN6340-6348 Toasts
PN6348.5-6358 Emblems, devices
PN6361 Paradoxes
PN6366-6377 Riddles, acrostics, charades, conundrums, etc.
PN6400-6525 Proverbs
PN6700-6790 Comic books, strips, etc.